Envoy to Afghanistan reaches out to Iran

February 16, 2009|By Richard A. Oppel Jr. The New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — President Barack Obama's top envoy to Afghanistan declared Sunday that Iran should play a vital role helping stabilize the war-torn country. It was the latest statement by Obama officials signaling a clear shift away from the Bush administration's policy of avoiding direct engagement with Tehran.

The Obama administration has been very critical of Iran's suspected pursuit of a nuclear weapon and support for terrorist groups. But the comments Sunday by Richard C. Holbrooke appeared to suggest that the new administration might also seek to use discussions with Iran about Afghanistan as one way to establish a broader dialogue.

"It is absolutely clear that Iran plays an important role in Afghanistan," Holbrooke said during an interview on Sunday with Tolo TV, a private Afghan television network. "They have a legitimate role to play in this region, as do all of Afghanistan's neighbors."

He also passed up an opportunity to criticize Tehran about allegations, some made by NATO officials, that it has provided help to Taliban guerrillas in Afghanistan.

"I heard those reports," Holbrooke said. "I talked to the military command about them. I did not have enough time really to get into the details yet, but I will get into it on future trips."

Obama has said that he will reach out to Iran for direct talks, and last week Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran was ready. The two nations have not spoken directly since Iran's Islamic Revolution 30 years ago.

Afghanistan shares its entire western border with Iran, and a major portion of the massive Afghan opium crop is smuggled through Iran.

Holbrooke flew to India on Sunday night after making his first visits to Pakistan and Afghanistan as Obama's special envoy to the two countries, part of the new administration's review of American policy in the region.

As security in Iraq has improved, Pakistan and Afghanistan have emerged as perhaps the most difficult foreign-policy challenges facing Obama, who is already weighing whether to double the American troop deployment in Afghanistan to about 60,000.

While the situation there remains grim, Holbrooke also said he was shocked by the problems he saw in Pakistan, which he last visited a year ago.

He said he was especially concerned that the Swat Valley, a onetime ski resort about 100 miles from Islamabad, had been seized by Taliban guerrillas, who blow up schools, assassinate police officers and beat - or behead - those who do not adhere to their strict version of Islam.

Earlier Sunday, Holbrooke and the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, appeared at a hastily arranged photo opportunity in Kabul to announce that Afghan officials would participate in a strategic review of American policy in Afghanistan.

They also emphasized their commitment to hold Afghan elections in August, and applauded an agreement between the American and Afghan militaries aimed at decreasing the civilian toll from American and NATO airstrikes and ground missions.